What I Learned Taking my Toddler to Disneyland.

We recently took my 2 1/2 year old daughter to Disneyland for the first time. Kids get in free until they turn three and with family visiting it seemed like the perfect opportunity. To be perfectly honest, although I reside close to Disney, I don’t actually go there very often. I believe the last time I set foot in the park was 2012 when I ran the Disney half marathon. I’m not what you’d call an amusement park person. So, I reached out to friends on social media for advice on what to expect and things to pack because surprisingly, there wasn’t much information out there. Here’s what I discovered:

1. Everyone told me to pack snacks: I didn’t. Furthermore, I’m glad I didn’t, it would have been something extra I’d have to carry around. I think you have to know your kid and know yourself. We’re not big eaters. My daughter isn’t a snacker. We had lunch at the park and shared a Dole Whip. Remember if you pack snacks you have to carry snacks. Speaking of carrying…

2. A backpack seemed like a good idea: Not so much. You have to remove the backpack to get on every ride. I had to wrangle my child, get in the ride myself, remove my sunglasses, and move my backpack. It was an additional step I could have avoided with a crossbody bag or sling pack you can rotate to the front. This summer I’m all about my Louis Vuitton bum bag as a sling pack, I think it would’ve been a better choice (I had a Longchamp backpack). You also don’t need a huge bag, 8 diapers were excessive. I changed her twice in 6 hours.

3. Hand sanitizer is a must: I don’t always carry hand sanitizer but I did take a small bottle to the park. My daughter and I used it often, my husband didn’t. He’s now sick and we’re fine. I’m not saying it was because of the hand sanitizer BUT we’re not sick. Just saying.

4. Sunblock, obviously: We lathered on the traditional stuff before we left the house but for reapplication I used the Tarte TarteGuard mineral powder 30 sunblock. It’s not the best if it’s the only sun protection you have but it’s great for touch up. It also smells like vanilla. And easy to apply on a toddler.

5. Extra phone battery: I swear I collect these things. Most people have one. I rotate through three depending on the occasion. Even when my phone was new I still carried an external battery (all it takes to convince yourself they’re handy is being stuck in a restroom during a fire with some terrified teenagers who need an extra power boost to call their parents. Or you could just believe me). For Disney I brought out the big boy. It had attachments for both iPhone and Android because some members of my family actually have androids. Weird.

Heloideo

Sonix

MyCharge

6. Stroller: I say rent. It’s $15 for the day and it’s a pretty nice stroller. My cousin bought her own, which I understand because they’d done the whole tourist thing but if you’re local just rent the ride. $15 is worth it to not have to fold up your own and get it in and out of the car.

7. Bandolier iPhone case: it’s kind of cheesy but it came in handy (if I’d carried a crossbody bad, I may not have needed it as much, but I’d still recommend it). This is an iPhone case on a crossbody strap. The first time I saw someone with one I thought it was hideous. I wanted photos of my daughter’s first trip to Disneyland and I didn’t trust keeping my phone in my pocket, not to mention I have an iPhone 7 Plus and I’m an extremely petite woman. The pockets in 00 shorts weren’t meant to accommodate such a large phone. I put the phone in my picket and looped it around my body. It was easy to grab and I never had to worry about dropping it. The case is pretty protective. The strap is removable and I did manage to drop my phone face first on the concrete, no damage to the phone after removing the strap. The case was scuffed slightly.

In the end, I think taking any type of trip with a toddler comes down to personal preference. You know your kid better than anyone.

Staying Organized in 2018

The holidays are over, 2018 is here, and it’s time to

get organized. Most of us are back to work trying to juggle our professional and personal lives while maintaining our sanity. It’s no wonder some form of productivity tops the list of New Year’s resolutions. The thing is, keeping your life together is more about finding a system as opposed to finding a one stop solution. Here are the five things I use daily (and in conjunction with one another) to stay organized.

I don’t believe in keeping my tasks for home vs. work separate, on a technicality I have three jobs, I don’t want to look at three calendars. I need to see the monstrosity of my day in its entirety. I also prefer a month view over a weekly or daily display, which is again a preference that can be augmented.

Step 1: The Calendars

–Erin Condren Monthly View Planner

This is your basic spiral bound monthly planner with extra notebook pages added to the back. The thing I like most about Erin Condren’s line is it’s customizable. This one is large, so it stays parked in one place most of the time (usually my desk at school) but it comes home for the holidays or anytime I have to attend a district meeting. I like being able to come into work and getting that instant visual on what’s coming up. I have extra notebook pages added to the end so that I can take notes on a larger scale tablet and later digitize them if I feel they’re worth keeping. Erin Condren planners can be ordered with daily or weekly agendas as well, you can add stickers, or other accessories, they even have one specifically for teachers (which doesn’t work for me AT ALL, ironically). I have mine customized with my initials and my daughter’s photo. The Louis Vuitton stickers were added later 😜.

–Awesome Calendar

This was one of the apps I mentioned in my best of 2017 post. Obviously you need a digital calendar (maybe I shouldn’t say obviously, my parents haven’t jumped on the digital bandwagon yet but they’re close to 80). Digital calendars are just so practical. I started with a Palm m100 (anyone remember those? Am I that old?) when I was doing the acting thing full time and working as an assistant to a producer over at Hollywood Center Studios. My life was crazy because my day never looked the same twice and things were constantly changing. The benefits of a digital calendar is the unlimited space for not just events but notes, directions, and photos as well. We’ve come a long way since those Palm days. I know every phone comes with a calendar app and Google makes a great (free) calendar alternative so why spend $10 on another calendar? Again, it’s about finding what works for you. I like being able to add personal photos as the background to my months. I feel that entering events is intuitive. You can look back on events 5 years in the past or look at your photo calendar (all the photos you’ve taken on a specific day). There’s even a Filofax mode in case you need a bit of nostalgia.

Step 2: My Note Takers

Again, I have a digital and paper version of notebooks to simplify my life. Most of the time I have a Field Notes notebook with me, they’re small, light, and fit in even the smallest of bags. Physical notebooks come in handy if your on the phone and need to write things down,as well as certain meeting situations. I hate carrying my laptop around & I don’t always have my iPad either. Some people don’t understand taking notes on a phone (they automatically think you’re texting) so having a tiny, lightweight notebook keeps you looking professional while capturing your ideas. And you can doodle, come on people, don’t act like you don’t love to draw. On a side note, a small notebook & a highlighter are a great way to entertain a fussy toddler in an emergency.

The final resting place for all my notes is Evernote, my digital notebook. Evernote has been my modern TrapperKeeper for almost a decade. Physical notebooks are great but once they’re full they’re relegated to a desk drawer never to be visited again. I avoid losing handwritten ideas by transferring them to Evernote along with news articles, business cards, photos, and import emails. Everything gets tagged and added to the appropriate notebook. I rarely use it, but voice notes can added as well.

Headphones:

The productivity tool everyone forgets about…until they forget them. 2017 was the year of the video call. Front facing cameras may have improved but microphones could still use some work. LHeadphones help you stay focused and in the conversation. Headphones also give you a hands free option for regular phone calls & voice memos.

Finally Got Around to…

Finally got around to posting the Gucci Belt Bag Review video. Again, not the greatest video but it gets the job done. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t even end up using the bag for the rest of that day. I went to the gym and then transferred my things into a Louis Vuitton Eva clutch. There’s a bit of irony there since I hadn’t been using my Eva on account that I’d felt it was too small, but it’s a lot larger than the belt bag. I’m even getting use out of the six key ring holder I’d been regretting. Turns out I like the key holder better than I like having the keys loose on a ring in a bag after all…thanks Gucci belt bag. If it hadn’t been for the belt bag I would still have the Eva in my closet and be less enthused about the six key holder. Of course I’m back to the LV mini Palm Springs backpack. I just love that bag. It is absolutely perfect for my needs. 

It’s About Time

Wow, it’s been awhile. And, it’s hard to get back into the swing of things. Not to mention, it’s hard to find time to get back into the swing of things. There’s so much I want to write about it’s overwhelming which is exactly what has prevented me from posting anything at all. Do I even remember how to post? I’m not sure. I have apps I’m in love with (finally found a workflow solution), cases (do you know I own ALL of 12 South’s wallet cases? I can explain), I’ve found the perfect designer toddler mom bag…maybe two which brings me to my first unboxing video for YouTube which I’ll post as soon as I, you know, get the box. There’s so much banging and crashing along inside of my brain that in order to post anything I had to post *something*. My plans for the week: 
* Review of 12 South’s Relaxed Leather iPhone 7 Plus case. 

* What’s in my bag? And why I’m totally obsessed with my bag. 

* Finally the perfect calendar app…sorry Apple, I needed something more. 

* Overrated! Two high fashion accessories unworthy of all the hype. 
As you can see, I’m a list maker. So stick around. This blog is back.